Based on his voting record in the Illinois state senate and in theU.S. Senate, President-elect Barack Obama will be the mostanti-Second Amendment president in the history of America.

In January, the new President will govern alongside congressionalleadership, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid, who are also extremely hostile to gun rights and who nowenjoy greatly expanded majorities.

There can be little doubt about the direction in which gun rights areheaded. The questions are how far will the anti-gunners go and howfast will they move?

Many comparisons have been made to the first two years of the firstClinton Administration, in which one party controlled both ends ofPennsylvania Avenue.

Almost all experts agree that it was Clinton's overreaching on issueslike gun control that cost his party control of Congress. BarackObama will start out governing with even larger majorities than didClinton.

Obama ran a campaign high on rhetoric and short on specifics. ThePresident-elect claims he will govern from the middle, but thequestion for gun owners is which Obama will show up at the WhiteHouse -- the "centrist" from the campaign trail, or the radicalanti-Second Amendment extremist who supports gun bans, waitingperiods for firearm purchases, one gun a month restrictions, andmore?

His party's large gains in the Congress give the incoming Presidentmore room to maneuver with a radical agenda.

An equally important question is the outlook for gun rights in thenew Congress. That Obama will sign any anti-gun bill that gets tohis desk is a certainty. But what can gun owners expect from the newCongress?

Hopes of Congressional restraint on gun issues dimmed with eachelection return as Pelosi's and Reid's majorities grew to historicproportions.

While there are many moderately pro-gun Democrats in Congress,they're not the ones calling the shots. The leadership is completelyin the anti-gun camp, so expanding their majority would have anegative impact on gun rights regardless of who filled those seats.

Unfortunately, though, many seats that flipped parties also went fromstrong pro-gun to strong anti-gun. Gun owners suffered heavy lossesin the Senate. Here's a look at five Senate seats that switchedparties (all switches went from Republican to Democrat).

Colorado -- The retirement of A-rated Senator Wayne Allard set up abattle between anti-gun Rep. Mark Udall and pro-gun former Rep. BobSchaffer. This is one of three senate seats that flipped from "A" to"F."

New Hampshire -- Pro-gun Senator John Sununu was defeated by F-ratedformer governor Jeanne Shaheen, another "A" to "F" shift.

North Carolina -- Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole ran as a pro-guncontrol candidate for president in 2000. Since being elected to theSenate from the Tar Heel state, however, Mrs. Dole compiled a goodpro-gun record. Dole's defeat at the hands of F-rated anti-gunnerKay Hagan is a dramatic flip for gun rights.

Virginia -- F-rated Republican John Warner retired. Former governorMark Warner (no relation) trounced "A" rated Jim Gilmore, also aformer governor. Either of the candidates would have been animprovement over the retiring Senator, but Mark Warner refused toanswer the GOA survey and has a mixed record on gun issues.

In the battle for the U.S. House of Representatives, gun owners alsowere hit hard.

Of the 18 incumbents who were defeated, 15 were pro-gun (only twowere replaced by a pro-gunner). Of particular disappointment to gunowners were the losses of Republican representatives Marilyn Musgrave(CO-4), Tom Feeney (FL-24), Bill Sali (ID-1), and Tim Walberg (MI-7).These representatives were among the most ardent Second Amendmentsupporters.

In the 32 open House seats, the results were mixed. Thirteen seatswent to A-rated candidates, while six went to F-rated anti-gunners.Nine new congressmen are "Not Rated," meaning they have no record andrefused to fill out a GOA questionnaire. Four new members fallsomewhere in the middle, leaning toward a pro-gun position but noguarantees. Note: a handful of close races across the country areobviously headed for recounts, but this is how things look at themoment.

If you are not a member of Gun Owners of America, please join todayat http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm so that you can startreceiving our newsletters and other important gun rights information.

The entire Congress needs to know that we're watching, and if theyattempt to ban even one firearm or expand unconstitutional guncontrol in any way they will pay at the polls in the next election.